What is Respect?

Jay D
Jay D
Aug 31, 2018 · 2 min read

When we tell someone we respect him/her how much do we really mean it? More often than not, respect stems out of fear and we ourselves are not aware of the thin line. This is because , while talking through a conversation, we are not subconsciously so much alert of how our hidden fears drive us. It can be a fear of the following: Position/power, Age, Social status and so on.

Many years ago when I joined my first job, during induction on the first day our then HR head talked about values and one of them was “Respecting an individual”. Basically what this means is, irrespective of a person’s position, wealth, status or age we should respect him/her in our behavior. I found this as an amazing value and started practicing it in my day to day life. I started observing people around me know/unknown both, and their behavior in public and private. I noticed an interesting fact that people pretend to talk respectfully with people who are not up to their position or status when others are watching them and when no one is watching their behavior was different.

This is not the right practice. e.g. you thank a waiter for his service in a crowded restaurant and treat him badly if you are alone or sitting on a corner table. Maids at our house or house keeping staff at malls, they do that job out of compulsion and not out of choice. The best we can do is being empathetic to them and if not, at least do not disrespect them. Respect everyone as a human being because we are born as humans first and then we create titles for us but we forget that we will die and take nothing along. Only thing will be left behind is how people will remember you. Those who treat other well are remembered with respect and are remembered for long.

A child who is allowed to disrespect his/her parents will never respect anyone in life. Therefore this value has to be inculcated in all children from age 1. The least parents can do, is to behave like you want your child to behave. If you shout at your maid, your child will also do that. If you disrespect your spouse, the child will do that to you i.e. his parents. It is of utmost importance for us to teach our children to respect an individual and treat everyone with respect irrespective of his/her title/age/status/wealth/position/fame.

If we act on this today, we can nurture the genZ of tomorrow and long term benefits of this are huge. The world needs harmony and peace and that can only be achieved if we respect each other and if we respect each other’s difference.

Be responsible parents! Build a beautiful world.


Jay D
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